Definition of accelerated hypertension?
Epidemiology of accelerated hypertension?
Causes of accelerated hypertension?
o Renovascular disease – renal artery stenosis o Renin-secreting neoplasms o Renal vasculitis – scleroderma, polyarteritis, SLE o Phaeochromocytoma o Cocaine abuse o MAOIs, COCP o Glomerulonephritis o Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia o Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism o Cushing’s syndrome o Acromegaly
Symptoms of accelerated hypertension?
Initial investigations to perform in accelerated hypertension?
Investigations to find cause of accelerated hypertension?
o CT/MRI of head/kidneys o Plasma renin o Plasma aldosterone o 24-hour urine VMA and metanephrin levels o ANA
Referral in people with accelerated hypertension?
Management of accelerated hypertension?
Definition of pericarditis?
PAthology of pericarditis?
o Pericardial vascularisation and infiltration with leukocytes
o Exudate and adhesion within pericardial sac and serous effusion
Epidemiology of pericarditis?
o 5% of ED visits with chest pain
o Usually post-viral or idiopathic
o Can become recurrent if >1 episode
Causes of pericarditis?
o Myocardial infarction (including Dressler’s syndrome)
o Viral - Coxsackie, Echovirus, EBV
o Bacterial - Pneumococcus, meningococcus, haemophilus, staphylococcus, TB
o Neoplasms, Uraemia, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis
o Drug - Hydralazine, procainamide
Symptoms of pericarditis?
o Chest pain
Sharp, central or retrosternal
Radiates to neck, trapezius ridge or shoulders
Worse on deep inspiration, exercise, swallowing and lying flat
Relieved by sitting up and leaning forward
o May have cough, chills, weakness
Signs of pericarditis?
Pericardial friction rub
Often intermittent, positional and elusive
Louder during inspiration and may be heard on systole and diastole
Scratchy superficial sound, loudest in midline and lower left parasternal edge
Low grade fever
Tachycardia
Tachypnoea
Investigations of pericarditis?
ECG
o Concave-upward ST segment elevation
o PR depression in limb and pre-cordial leads
o Reciprocal PR elevation and ST depression in aVR
CXR
o Flask-shaped cardiac silhouette sign of large pericardial effusion
Bloods
o FBC, U&Es, CRP, ESR and troponin
Blood cultures if evidence of sepsis
Echocardiogram
o If pericardia effusion or cardiac tamponade suspected
Management of pericarditis?
o Benign or self-limiting
o Rest
o High dose NSAIDs (naproxen 250mg TDS/QDS) +/- PPI cover
Give 7-14 days then taper off
Management of pericardial effusion in pericarditis?
o Senior help, immediate echocardiogram
o Pericardiocentesis under US and then drainage or open thoracotomy
Management of constrictive pericarditis in pericarditis?
o Pericardial resection
Prognosis of pericarditis?
- Recurrence in around 1 in 3 patients
Definition of pericardial effusion?
Causes of pericardial effusion?
o Viruses (Coxsackie, flu, EBV, mumps, varicella, HIV)
o Bacteria (pneumonia, rheumatic fever, TB, staphs)
o Fungi
o MI and Dressler’s syndrome
o Drugs – Procainamide, hydralazine, penicillin
o Others – uraemia, RA, SLE, trauma, surgery, malignancy
Symptoms of pericardial effusion?
o SOB
o Symptoms of pericarditis – sharp chest pain, radiating to scapular ridge, relieved by sitting up and worsening with inspiration
o Syncope
o Cough
Signs of pericardial effusion?
o Raised JVP (prominent X descent)
o Bronchial breathing at left base (Ewart’s sign)
o Look for signs of cardiac tamponade
Tachycardia, pulsus paradoxus, hypotension, raised JVP, muffled S1 and S2
Investigations of pericardial effusion?